by Megan Bryce
She looked up to find him watching her. He said, “We can snuggle under the blanket until the sun comes up.”
“No.” She wiggled around on the mat. “I might take a little catnap, though.”
Cole handed her a blanket, then sat down, safe on the other side of the box.
Maggie lay down, throwing the blanket over her even though the morning was warm enough without it.
She said, “I’ve gotten new terms with nearly a third of my creditors. I think by the end of next week, it’ll be almost all of them.”
“Already?”
She grinned. “Apparently the thought of you and me scares some people.”
Cole smiled. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Oh, I am. Jackson Harwood was waiting for me when I got home last night, and believe me, that’s a change.”
“I believe it. He was gouging you.”
She shrugged. “Beggars can’t be choosers. I knew they were terrible terms but I needed cash.”
“I hope you didn’t let him off the hook too easy.”
“No. But he brings out the worst in me.”
“I thought I brought out the worst in you?”
She laughed. “Sometimes. But you don’t call me a frigid whore. Or words to that effect.”
There was silence where Cole sat and Maggie closed her eyes. And imagined one more time Cole smashing his fist into Jackson’s face.
Cole said, “He said what?”
Maggie opened her eyes. “I made him pay for it. I’m only sorry you weren’t there to see it. I know you would have liked to watch.”
“You can’t have done anything to make him pay for that.”
She rolled onto her elbow, not trying to hide her smile. “Two percent and a one-year moratorium.”
Cole blinked. “Whatever happened to fair and equitable?”
“I didn’t want him to agree.”
He smiled and lay down on his side, facing her. “I’m still going to smash his face in.”
Maggie sighed. “No, you’re not. He apologized. That was part of the deal.”
He shrugged. “Still going to.”
“You think anyone is going to work with me if you go around making my word worthless?”
“You think I’m going to let you work with a man like that?”
“I’ve been doing it for years. I don’t see why adding you into the equation makes any difference.”
Cole flopped onto his back. “He’s a shit and he deserves a fist in the face.”
She said, “Yes and yes. He was also pretty drunk.”
“Is that an excuse?”
“No, just a comment.”
Cole said, “You shouldn’t have told me.”
“I know. He also called me a bitch.”
He thought about it for a minute, then said, “Nope, can’t beat him up for that. It’s the truth.”
She laughed. “But you can for calling me a frigid whore?”
He nodded. “Yep. ‘Cause they’re both lies.”
She watched the thin clouds roll slowly across the sky, looked at the horizon getting brighter and brighter.
She had been frigid. With Jackson. But she’d thought that sex would always be like how it had been with Cole. Hot and fun and mind-erasing. She’d been unprepared for it not to be.
She’d also been unprepared for it to be circulated as gossip.
Cole said softly, “You sure I can’t plant my fist in his face?”
She turned her head to see him watching her. “I’m okay. I’ve been dealing with Jackson Harwood for a long time. And his one-year moratorium nearly gives me a positive cash flow.”
“And that makes it okay?”
“To me it does. I wish there were a few more of him, actually.”
“Guess I’ll have to be happy with that.”
“Guess so.”
The sun broke over the horizon and Maggie closed her eyes against the blinding light. Felt the rays warm upon her face.
Thought about keeping her eyes closed and taking a little nap.
And then didn’t think anymore.
Megan BryceSome Like It Ruthless
Six
When she woke up, the sun was higher in the sky and Cole was breathing heavily next to her.
She watched him, looked her fill. Traced his dark eyelashes, his slightly crooked nose from one fight too many.
And thought it was nice to have a friend again.
An enemy who sometimes felt like a friend.
She had family. Her sister.
But no friends. Never had had any. Except Cole.
He opened his eyes and smiled at her.
She smiled back. And felt one more angry, hurtful memory become just a memory.
If she wasn’t careful, she’d be forgiving him in no time.
He sat up, stretching, and said, “Finally got my nap.”
They worked for hours, until they were sweaty and sticky, until the papers were limp with the humidity.
And at the end, Maggie had a list of creditors she still needed to contact. And a near surety that in a month or two she would stop spending more money than she was making.
It felt good. It felt hopeful.
They rolled up the camping mats and Cole said, “You’re not going to come over at four tomorrow, right?”
“I’m not going to come over at all.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I’ll be out at Midland again Monday. I won’t be here if you need me.”
She nodded. “I can take it from here. And as Ginny says, I’m pretty okay with swinging your weight around even when you’re not there.”
“Mm. Hot.”
She chuckled. “You’re easy.”
“Pretty easy. What about you?”
He jumped down, holding a hand up to her. She ignored it to sit on the tailgate.
“I’m not easy at all.”
“Just a little kiss. This place needs a memory. A good memory.” He looked around. “‘Cause frankly I don’t want to ever come out here again.”
Maggie looked, too. And decided she was finally willing to let this watering hole go. Her father had spent years grumbling about losing it but now she realized it hadn’t been the watering hole. It had been the defeat.
Cole stepped between her swinging legs and said, “I’ve been thinking about California.”
“California?” Then she remembered that’s where she’d said they would have gone. If things had been different.
He said, “I’m glad we didn’t go. This is where we belong.”
“You’re just glad you didn’t end up swinging by the balls.”
“Yep. And I’m glad we could come out to the watering hole together.”
Maggie said, “They don’t have watering holes in California?”
“Not this one.”
He cupped her face in his hands, then just looked at her. He said, “I had a good time yesterday.”
“It was productive.”
“It was good. Today, too.”
When she didn’t disagree with him, he whispered, “We always have a good time together, don’t we, Maggie?”
She whispered back, “Almost always.”
He leaned down slowly, his blue eyes so bright she couldn’t look anywhere else.
She wrapped her hands around his wrists, not sure if she wanted to push him away or hurry him up.
He put his lips on hers, still watching her. Taking his sweet time, tasting her lips, in no rush to move things along. Maybe not even wanting to move things along. Just happy to have her close, their breaths mingling.
When she finally closed her eyes, finally leaned into him, he sighed. Sighed and wrapped his arms around her. His lips soft and relaxed against hers, his arms warm, holding her loosely.
It was a slow kiss, sweet and warm. A kiss that made her wish they were different people. Made her wish they had a different history. A different future.
He pulled back and looked at her. Then said, “That’s a good
memory.”
She smiled. “Now can we get out of here?”
“Tired of eau de cow patty?”
She’d forgotten all about it.
But she nodded and he stepped back. Maggie hopped down, forcing her legs to walk, forcing herself to turn away from him.
Wishing Cole wasn’t hot and fun and mind-erasing.
Because it hadn’t been the sex, it had been him.
It had been them, together.
When they hopped into the truck, Cole blasted the air conditioner and Maggie nearly groaned with relief.
He said, “Once you’re back in the black, we’ll have to figure out what to do with that extra cash.”
“I’m taking suggestions.”
“I’ve got a watering hole I could sell you.”
She snorted. “Forget it. I don’t want it back.”
He smiled, putting the truck into gear. “Good. Now where are we going for lunch?”
Monday morning, Cole left later than usual. He parked outside an exclusive gated community with a clear view of the expensive cars coming out and waited.
He leaned against his truck, crossing one booted foot over the other and hooking his thumbs in his belt. He nodded a few times to drivers exiting, getting jerky nods back, and tried not to smile when he saw relief in their eyes as he let them pass.
He watched cars leave until it was Jackson Harwood on the other side and then he pushed himself off his truck and meandered over as the gate swung open.
When Jackson saw Cole, he froze. Cole walked up to the car and knocked on the window.
He could see Jackson debating whether to roll the window down or not, but the man finally decided to take his medicine.
Cole said, “Margaret says I am not allowed to put my fist through your face. No matter how much I may want to.”
Jackson gulped.
Cole continued. “She’d be unhappy if she knew I was talking to you at all. I don’t know about you but I try to keep her happy. I’ll be the first to tell you she holds a grudge.”
Jackson looked at him then. “A grudge? You ruined an entire family.”
“Women. Just don’t understand that business is business, I guess. Is that what you were doing charging her exorbitant rates? Just doing business?”
Jackson relaxed against his seat. “She was desperate. I charged accordingly.”
Cole watched another car pull up behind Jackson. “Mmm. And she returned the favor, didn’t she? Because now you’re desperate to keep me from buying up all your debt. You’ve got enough for me to work with, don’t you, Jackson?”
“Margaret said if I gave her that measly two percent and a moratorium she would keep you chained up.”
Cole smiled at him. “Did she? Can’t help but love the woman, can you?”
Jackson turned his head slowly, clearly wondering if Cole was serious.
Cole squinted up to the sky. “Here’s the problem with your deal, Jackson. She’d been good friends with Tanner; she’d liked him. And she made me suffer for my sins.
“But you? She doesn’t like. She might be mad for a time or two that I made her word worthless, but she’ll get over it. My guess is she’d get over it mighty fast.”
When he looked back down at Jackson, Cole could see him digesting that ugly truth.
Jackson finally said, “So now what?”
“So now you send over the paperwork to Margaret this morning. And you get Parnell and Gould to do the same. You three gave her the worst rate, the worst terms. You had a good time sticking it to her. Now you can have a good time moaning to each other while you play golf.”
“They’ll never do it.”
Cole shrugged. “Well, now. I might not smash their faces in since they didn’t insult my fiance to her face.” He paused, enjoying watching Jackson shrink in his seat. “But I will certainly move my money. I will certainly start buying up the debt of you three at a premium.”
The fear came back into Jackson’s eyes and he said, “I can’t promise anything.”
Cole nodded and patted the top of the car. “Me neither, Jackson.”
And he walked back to his truck.
Cole’s day was busier than usual, the natural result of two work days lost, but he couldn’t feel even a twinge of regret about it. And when Maggie called he couldn’t help his smile as he shut his door.
“Missed me, Empress? I thought you could go a day at least.”
Sunday night he’d shown up unannounced to coerce her into dinner, finally talking her into burgers.
He was getting the distinct impression Maggie was fond of junk food, the junkier the better, though she looked like she indulged just about never.
He was not above using that to his advantage.
And while she’d eaten with him happily, had held his hand in public without comment, he hadn’t kissed her again. He’d dropped her home, said God knew what, and left without pulling her close.
He was regretting that right now. Should have kissed the damn woman.
She said, “What did you do?”
He cocked his head. “Got to narrow it down. Give me a clue?”
“Charles Parnell. Says he’ll send the paperwork right over. Two percent and a moratorium.”
“Must have talked with his buddy, Jackson. I paid him a little visit before heading out this morning.”
There was a long pause and he said, “I didn’t touch him.”
“Then why is Parnell giving me the same deal? Handing it to me on a platter?”
“Because they’re friends, because they conspired to give you shit terms. And because now you can stop worrying about the drain and start making money.”
Maggie said, “There is a difference between me swinging your weight around and you throwing it around on my behalf.”
“I know you think there is.”
“You going to fix all my problems for me, Cole? I’ll just go lay out by the pool and relax while you take care of everything?”
Cole said, “I would, if you’d let me. But you want to keep all the fun for yourself.”
“The fun? Yes, picking up my pride and wiping away the dirt is fun. I’d appreciate it if you’d let me do it.”
“Pride, Maggie?”
“Yes, Cole. Since I realized how bad things were my pride’s been laying crumpled on the floor. I made a deal with Jackson Harwood! You think a high interest rate and terrible repayment terms was all he wanted?”
Cole’s hand clenched into a fist. “Please don’t tell me that I have to drive back today to beat the shit out of him.”
“He just wanted to lord it over me, make me pay for an unfavorable comparison I made about him. But my pride has had enough. I don’t want revenge; I do want everyone to know that I’m done simpering. Done.”
Cole remembered the if in her eyes, remembered how she looked as if she asking.
He sat down slowly, drumming his fingers on the desk.
He said, “I’m not going to apologize for Harwood or Parnell.” He paused. “Or Gould.”
He heard her blow out a breath and he said, “But I won’t do it again. And I should have at least let you watch me scare the piss out of him.”
He could hear the anger fading from her voice when she asked, “You didn’t touch him at all?”
He smiled. “I knew you wouldn’t really care if I kicked his ass. But the threat of violence seemed to be enough. Pretty sure he had to change his pants afterward.”
Maggie sighed. “I guess that’ll have to do. I would have liked to watch.”
“Just what is it between you and Harwood? I thought I was the only one you kept an unwarranted grudge against.”
“He kept telling everyone I was frigid. I let it be known it was hard to get into the mood when the equipment was smaller than I was used to.”
Cole’s lips pulled back in a grimace. “When was this?”
“Years ago. After us.”
“You–”
He hadn’t thought she’d been celibate for t
he last twelve years. Maybe he’d been happy to not know for sure.
So she’d slept with other men.
Hell, he’d given himself plenty of opportunities to forget her long legs, forget her warm body wrapped around him.
But. “Him?”
She chuckled weakly. “Believe me, I’ve asked myself the same question.”
He shook his head. “I really wish you hadn’t told me.”
She laughed again, a little bit stronger. “I’m sure there are a few women you wouldn’t want me to know about. Not that I need names.”
“No?”
“No.”
He grinned. “There might be one or two. But you wouldn’t know them, so it wouldn’t be the same.”
“I’m sure I can imagine the type.”
“Big hair, big–”
“I’m hanging up.”
He kicked his legs up onto his desk. “Wait. What else are you doing today?”
“Signing papers, returning calls. What are you doing?”
“Trying to catch up. Lots of paperwork.”
He could hear the smile in her voice. “Sounds fun. I know how much you love paperwork.”
“Company helps.”
“Are you suggesting I drive out there and help you get your work done?”
He surprisingly wanted to say yes. “Would you?”
“I guess it would be fair. Tit for tat.”
He shook his head. “I can’t have you come out here again. You disturb my men. And I don’t like them looking at your ankles, don’t like knowing what they’re thinking.”
“You only know what they’re thinking because you’re thinking it, too.”
“I don’t have a problem with me thinking it.”
He could hear her shaking her head, practically see her puckering her lips to keep from smiling.
She said, “I really am hanging up now.”
“Just one more thing, Maggie. Whose equipment were you comparing Harwood’s to?”
“Goodbye, Cole.”
The phone clicked in his ear and he hung it up with a smile on his face.
His smile faded a little at the thought of Maggie and Jackson Harwood. Maggie frigid? He couldn’t blame her really. A cat in heat would be frigid with Harwood.
